


Good Intentions & Happy Ever Afters

by TheLoneRebels



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Don't play Hide and Seek with a Tempermental Mando, Ezra is SMOOTH, Ezrabine, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Kanan is one Happy Man, Lemons, Sabezra - Freeform, What we wished we saw in Rebels, kanera - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2019-09-13 19:41:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16898733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLoneRebels/pseuds/TheLoneRebels
Summary: *New prologue added. Totally worth the read. :P*The happy ever after story of our favourite Spectre family from the engagements of the two starring couples to life with their kids in the future. Get ready for pranks, shenanigans, and lots of fluff.





	1. Prologue - Nightmares And... Visions?

**Hello there!**

**Thank you all soooooo much for checking out my story! If you like it, it would make my day if you let me know. Every kudos, sub, or nice review makes me want to write that much more for you. :D :D :D :D :D**  

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**Disclaimer: I don't own any Star Wars characters.**

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**There is an explanation of how my calendar works in 'Flame of Hope - Everyone' if you're curious.**

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**This story is co-written with MaybeImARebel.**

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**A/N: Hi Everybody! Happy Star Wars Day! This prologue is a new addition to this story that I found way back in chapter 49 of the original story by MaybeImARebel. She wrote it as a coping mechanism to deal with the ending of Jedi Night and I thought it was beautiful and some of her best work.**

**It just didn't belong that far back in the story. In fact, I thought it would make a perfect Prologue. About half of this is from the original story that a few of you may remember, and the other half is my edits and additions.**

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

**Good Intentions & Happy Ever Afters **

**Prologue - Nightmares and... Visions?:**

_D363/6 BBY, Mandalore_

Sabine woke up swallowing a scream, not wanting to wake up the other girls in her room; the echoes of blood curdling cries of anguish and pain ringing in her ears.

Tears fell down her cheeks unheeded as she curled into a ball and shook with silent sobs of remorse.

The Empire had done it. They had used the Duchess on real people yesterday. Her people. Just insignificant nobodies to the Imperials; streetrats and homeless veterans picked up from the dregs of the big cities and stuffed into Mandalorian armour. People who wouldn't be missed. And they gave her a bloody commendation for her work. Within a day, every Clan in the Mandalore systems would know that Sabine kriffing Wren had invented an abomination that could kill her people in seconds.

It was the last straw in her growing disillusionment with the Empire.

Sabine determinedly wiped the tears off her cheeks and forced her body to stop shaking. It wasn't supposed to be like this. What had she done? She had to destroy the Duchess. All of her hard work, wasted. Used against her wishes. It had to go. It was too powerful. And in the Empire's hands, it meant the end of her people.

She couldn't let that happen. Ever.

* * *

Sabine didn't close her eyes again for days. Not until it was done and she was free, thanks to Ketsu's help.

But the nightmare wasn't over.

Her mother had refused to let her go home to Krownest. Ursa Wren's hologram had looked stone cold when she said her daughter was dead to her and that all would know that Sabine Wren was Dar'manda.

Ketsu had been kicked from her home, too, just to add to the fun.

Sabine had never felt so lost. And the title of Dar'manda sat heavy on her shoulders, but she felt like she had earned it. She WAS a dishonourable traitor to her people and she doubted she would ever be able to live that down.

Sleeping at night became something she rarely did. And even then, as soon as she closed her eyes, the cries of terror came back to haunt her.

They would haunt her for the rest of her life.

* * *

_D278/5 BBY, The Ghost_

_Flames engulfing the night sky. Electric oranges and yellows, almost to white. Paralyzing fear. Kanan's eyes. The vibrant teal green trying to tell Ezra something, flames reflecting within them. Extreme heat hit him in a wave, self preservation instincts making Ezra turn away. Looking back. Gone. Kanan was gone, nothing but flames where he had been standing._

Ezra woke choking on the fear that had his heart in his throat. His body was covered in goosebumps and cold sweat. Out of desperation, he reached for his bond to Kanan.

Needing to know he was still there.

Needing to know it was just a dream.

A bad dream.

Kanan's eyes popped open and he sat up abruptly, sensing Ezra's distress, disturbing Hera from her spot on his chest. Almost instantly, Kanan sent reassuring feelings back down the bond.

Ezra was soothed. A little. But it wasn't enough. He needed to see that Kanan was really all right.

Kanan rushed off his bunk and slid his legs into his pajama bottoms in record time, waving a 'latter' hand at Hera at her confused, "What's happening?"

Ezra jumped off his bunk, shaky legs almost not holding him up. Desperately smacking the button to open his door, he tumbled out into the hallway.

Kanan was already there, bond wide open between them. Kanan gathered Ezra into his arms and held the shaking boy close, hand rubbing soothingly up and down his back. "It's okay, Ezra. It's okay. It was just a dream."

Ezra looked up at his Master, tears welling in his eyes. "But it was so real, Kanan. You died. I know you did," he all but wailed before sagging into a forlorn whisper. "You can't die, Kanan. I can't lose anyone else."

Kanan held Ezra by the shoulders and made him look up at him, staring into the wide sapphire eyes that were trying to break his heart. "It was just a nightmare. I'm still here," he reassured. "And I have no plans on dying anytime soon. Hera would kill me if I did." Kanan half smiled, hoping Ezra would get the humour.

His smile grew wider as Ezra relaxed and snorted, swiping at his face with his pajama sleeve. "Yes, she would." Ezra took a deep breath. "Okay. Just a dream. I can live with that. Just... don't go playing with fire anytime soon. Okay?"

Kanan chuckled. "I think I can manage that. Making things burn is more Sabine's job anyway." Kanan nodded towards his room. "Come on, kid. Since we're up anyway, why don't we go meditate? Ease your mind a little more. You can give the Force all of your emotions. It will make you feel better."

Ezra nodded eagerly. He didn't want to go back to sleep now anyway; afraid the dream would come back.

* * *

_D184/3 BBY, Atollon_

_A crippling sense of foreboding. A man with short hair holding back the flames. Hera's voice screaming "Kanan!" echoing over and over in Ezra's ears. The flames engulfed the night sky. Electric oranges and yellows, almost to white. Paralyzing fear. Kanan's eyes. The vibrant teal green trying to tell him something, flames reflecting within them. Extreme heat hit Ezra in a wave, self preservation instincts making him turn away. Looking back. Gone. Kanan was gone, nothing but flames where he had been standing._

Ezra opened his eyes to the dim light of the room. Goosebumps and cold sweat once again covering his body.

The dream was back. The one that haunted him. Showing up two or three times a year. One tiny new detail every time.

He didn't know how much more of this he could take. There had to be a way to stop this. Ezra was sure the Force was trying to show him something important.

Ezra's violent shivering woke up Sabine. She could actually feel it vibrating the mattress. She rolled over and saw him curled into a ball. Reaching over she rolled him over with a hand on his shoulder and sucked in a breath from worry; Ezra's haunted eyes looked almost black in the dark, shining with unshed tears, and his bones were stark under the gaunt shadows of his skin.

Sabine ran a comforting hand through his shaggy hair and cupped his face, searching his eyes. "What is it, babe? Is it that dream again?"

Ezra just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, needing the comfort of her presence.

After a long time, the tension finally drained from his body and they both breathed easier.

Sabine's soothing fingers running through his hair over and over helped to distract him from his nightmare. Ezra breathed in the wonderful floral scent of her hair and basked in the curves pressed to his body. It was enough. More than enough, just to hold her; his beautiful cyar'ika.

Finally feeling like he could speak without losing it, he sucked in a breath for courage, staring up at the ceiling of her room. "I don't know what to do, Sabine. I've tried talking to Kanan about the dreams, but he thinks they're just nightmares. I'm sure they're not. One day, I don't know when, Kanan is going to die in a fire. A really big fire. The Force must be showing me this for a reason. I must be able to prevent it, or save him, or something. I have to. I could never live with myself if I didn't."

Sabine hugged him as best as she could, heart breaking for Ezra and the fate of Kanan. "It's okay, Ezra. We'll figure it out together. We won't let Kanan die. I promise. Hera would kill us if we did."

Ezra cracked a small smile at the running joke. Thank the Force for his warrior goddess. He didn't know what he'd do without her.

They spent the next couple of hours just talking. Not wanting to fall back asleep and waste any of their stolen time together. (Kanan and Hera had taken the Phantom up into orbit for some alone time and Zeb was too busy snoring to notice that Ezra was missing.) Tomorrow he was going to Malachor with Kanan and Ahsoka. Maybe he would find some answers there.

Master Yoda must be sending him there for a reason. Right?

* * *

_D184/3 BBY, Above Atollon_

_Kanan made his way through the ship, wondering why it was pitch black with not a hint of light to be found. His hands reached out in front and to the sides, feeling his way along the hallway until he reached the door that opened into the center of the ship. He felt for the ladder that led to the top gun turret and then walked around it, feeling for the door to the common room. He heard the hiss of the door as it opened and tentatively stepped into the main gathering place of their family. A few more careful steps and he'd reached the door of the galley. He stopped with his hands on the door, but didn't open it yet, because he could hear crying._

_Kanan rested his forehead on the door as the sound of Hera's quiet sobs broke his heart._

_He heard soothing sounds from Sabine. "It's going to be okay, Hera. They're strong. They'll both get over this sooner or later. All we can do is be there for them until then."_

_Hera choked back a sob and Kanan could picture her wiping the tears off her cheeks. "I know they will, Sabine. It's just so hard. Ezra's a mess and Kanan won't come out of his room. I'm sure they haven't talked to each other since they came back. I wish I could have stopped them from going to..._

"Kanan. Kanan," he felt himself being shaken. "Wake up, love." Kanan groaned and opened his eyes to see Hera's concerned face looking down at him and noticed that his cheeks felt wet. He reached up and felt the tears. "Are you okay?" Hera asked.

Kanan shook his head as he sat up on the air mattress they'd laid on the floor of the Phantom and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I was having a vision, I think. Something bad is going to happen to Ezra and I, I just don't know what or why or when." Kanan sighed and pulled Hera into his lap, needing the comfort of her body against his. "You woke me up before the vision could finish."

Hera wrapped her arms around him and pressed her forehead into his neck. "I'm sorry, Kanan. But you were shaking and crying. I thought you were having another nightmare about your Master's death. I know you don't like those."

Kanan kissed the top of her head and hugged her tighter. "No. It's not your fault. I'd rather you wake me up then let me have a nightmare." He closed his eyes and thought back through his vision, but there was nothing in any of the words spoken that gave him any hint as to what could possibly have happened to make Hera so sad. "I don't know what to do now, Hera. What if it's the trip to Malachor tomorrow? Is the search for knowledge really worth it?"

Hera looked up at him with sympathetic emerald eyes, fingers combing through his long hair. "I can't answer that for you, love. But you know what I'd prefer you do."

Kanan smiled wanly and kissed her forehead where worry lines were taking up residence. "I know, darling. I'm sorry." His gut knew he was going to Malachor tomorrow. Now he just had to wonder if he was going to regret it.

* * *

_D185/3 BBY, Malachor_

As Maul struck him across the eyes, the red lightsabre was the last thing Kanan saw.

As the pain sent him to his knees, Kanan knew two things:

First, he knew what his vision was about the night before.

And second, he was going to have to break the promise he'd made to Hera just before leaving Atollon this morning.

 _"We'll see each other again, I promise,"_ had never sounded so much like a curse as it did when put on repeat in his mind on the flight back home to Atollon.

Kanan cradled a weeping Ezra in his arms, who in turn cradled a Sith holocron in his hands. Kanan's face was screaming in pain, but it had nothing on the pain in his heart that bounced from him to Ezra and back again as they mourned the loss of Ahsoka and Kanan's sight.

* * *

_D187/3 BBY, Atollon_

_Dark. A neverending set of stairs that ran the length of a pyramid that rose into the abyss of the black crust above them. Red blades everywhere. Fighting for his life. For Kanan's and Ahsoka's life. Trusting Maul. Leaving Kanan behind for Sith knowledge. Maul attacking Kanan with his red blade. Kanan dodging at the last moment. What should have been a killing strike went across Kanan's eyes instead. Kanan's scream of pain. Ahsoka fights Maul. Kanan finds a mask. Puts it on. Faces Maul again. Kanan flows with the Force. Maul goes over the edge. Darth Vader. Evil. Cold. So Cold. Even worse than the Inquisitors. Lightsabre gone. Destroyed. Ahsoka fights the Sith Lord in black. The pyramid closing. Ahsoka left behind to die. Noooooo!_

Ezra shot up from his bed, gasping for air, feeling like he'd been dipped in ice water and thrown out into space.

Why had he trusted Maul? Why didn't the Force warn him about what would happen to Kanan's eyes?

Ezra knew that everything that had happened was his fault. All he wanted was a way to protect his family, to stop the dream of Kanan dying from happening, and it had all gone so very very wrong.

It was his talk with Yoda that had led them to Malachor. It was his trust in a stranger that had led to Kanan's loss of sight. He that had gotten Ahsoka killed by Darth Vader when she saved his useless butt.

Ezra hugged his legs to his chest and glared at the source of his self hate, hidden in a helmet, the hint of red mocking him from the eyes. Ezra tried to connect to Kanan again for the hundredth time since they got back from Malachor, but the bond was closed from Kanan's side. Closed tight.

Kanan had removed himself so far from his connection to the Force, Ezra could barely feel him on the ship only a room away.

And that was Ezra's fault, too.

He desperately wished he could hold Sabine right now. But he didn't feel worthy to even be in her presence, least of all hold her so she could warm him up.

So he stayed in his bunk by himself, almost wishing for Zeb's snores below him so he'd feel less alone. Icy tears ran down his cheeks as Ezra felt frozen to the very soul.

* * *

_D290/2 BBY, Atollon_

The screams were haunting her again.

Picking up the Darksabre had brought it all back.

Sabine lay sleepless in her tent in the ebony night; a fitting reflection of her heart right now. Why had she agreed to this? To save a Mandalore that had rejected her for what she had done?

Going back was a really bad idea. Probably suicidal, but Rau did have a good point. With the Darksabre, maybe she could make things right again. But her whole being was whimpering at the very thought of facing her people again. Facing her family again.

Not able to stand being alone anymore, she squiggled out of her sleeping bag, pulled on her boots, and crawled out of her tent. She hadn't even bothered to get undressed aside from pulling off the armour plating; knowing that sleep was a bad idea right now.

Walking silently along the short line of tents, a glimmer of moonlight illuminating her way, she stopped at Ezra's tent. It didn't surprise her at all when he opened the flap and crawled out within moments of her arrival. He always knew where she was. It had freaked her out at first, but now she thought it was perfect. It made things a lot easier for them when they were stealing moments together. Somehow, he always knew when she needed him near, and he would just be there. Sometimes even when she thought she wanted to be alone, he would appear anyway.

Like earlier this evening when she'd stormed away from training.

She felt terrible for brushing him off, when all he was doing was trying to help. But he never blamed her for her bad moods. Ezra must be the most understanding guy in the galaxy to deal with her, and she knew it. She'd never find a man who suited her better.

Sabine held out her hand and twined her fingers with Ezra's as they walked silently through the camp and back to the rock where she had a breakdown earlier. After they sat on the rock with Sabine sideways in Ezra's lap, arms wrapped around each other in comfort, Sabine finally spoke. "I'm sorry, Ezra."

She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head and then lay his cheek on her hair again. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, Sabine. I understand this is hard for you. I wish I could take all your pain away and make it all better."

Sabine pulled back a little so she could see the gleam of his eyes. "Just having you hold me is enough. Thank you. With you by my side, I think I can do this. But I really wish I had never joined the Academy in the first place. My life would be so much different now." Then her eyes widened as she realized something. "No, I take it back. I never would have met you if I hadn't gone through everything I did first." She held the back of his head with one hand and cupped his cheek with the other. "You were worth all of it," she whispered.

"Sabine," Ezra choked out, before lowering his mouth to hers and exchanging a meltingly sweet kiss. He pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you, cyar'ika. And I'll wait for you, forever if I have to, while you fight for your planet. You keep me in the Light. I'd have been lost without you. I..."

Sabine stopped him from speaking once again about how perfect he thought she was with her mouth. She didn't think she was perfect, and right now, she really didn't want to hear it. She just wanted the comfort of his arms and lips and body. Pulling back just enough, she whispered against his mouth. "I love you too, babe. Now kiss me, everywhere."

Sabine felt his lips curl into a smile. "Gladly, my warrior goddess."

* * *

_D3/1 BBY, Mandalore_

Sabine struggled out of her sleeping bag, and slipped out of the tent. Hers was surrounded by a whole village of tents, where the gathering of clans had converged to prepare to destroy the Duchess. She couldn't sleep. The imagined screams of her dead Clanmates were mingling with the very real ones she had heard years ago. Sabine wandered silently towards the edge of camp. She'd almost lost her mother and brother. All because she'd thought she was such a genius, building new weapons for the Empire. The remembered whine of the Duchess powering up was enough to make her cringe in self loathing.

Walking aimlessly in the dark, over the barren earth of Mandalore, she eventually just came to a stop and sank to the ground. Wrapping her arms around her legs, and burying her face in her knees, she cried silently. Wanting desperately to scream her rage at the sky, but knowing that would draw attention and wake the others, she held it in. As she always had.

When Ezra's arms wrapped around her, and pulled her into his lap, she cried harder, grateful for his Jedi senses that always knew when she needed him.

They never said a word that night. Ezra just held her until it was time to get ready for battle.

It was enough. It was everything.

And then they finally freed Mandalore from the grasp of Imperial tyranny and her from her nightmares.

And Sabine found the Mand'alor she'd been searching for.

She thought it fitting that it was the sister of the original Duchess.

* * *

_D7/1 BBY, Saw Gerrera's U-Wing_

_A crippling sense of foreboding. Hera in prisoner orange, embracing Kanan in the dark. The squeal of blaster fire from a Walker. A short haired, clean shaven Kanan runs to stop the flames with the Force. Hera's voice screaming "Kanan!" echoing over and over in Ezra's ears. Hera runs to stop him or help him or die with him; he doesn't know. Kanan stops her, dividing his attention between her and the fireball. They share an endless moment before he throws her back towards Ezra and he catches her._

_The flames engulf the night sky. Electric oranges and yellows, almost to white. Paralyzing fear. Kanan's eyes. No longer cloudy. In his moment of sacrifice, the Force heals him, so he can see one last time. The vibrant teal green focused on Hera and Ezra, trying to tell them something, flames reflecting within them. Ezra screams down their bond, but Kanan's closed it, not wanting Ezra to feel him die. Kanan pushes the gunship away from the fire with everything he has, turning his back to the explosion. Extreme heat hit Ezra in a wave, self preservation instincts making him turn away. Looking back. Gone. Kanan was gone, nothing but flames where he had been standing. Ezra yells at Sabine to, "Go! GO!" determined to save what was left of his family. He slumped to the floor, holding Hera in his arms as she sobs, the space where Kanan used to be inside of him empty. So Empty._

Ezra woke with a jolt, and almost fell off the bench he was sitting on, in the galley of Saw's ship. He was shaking and freezing and tears were running down his face. Ezra reached for his bond to Kanan, sighing in relief when he felt it there, strong and sure; even with how far apart they were right now.

Wiping the tears off his cheeks, he looked over at Sabine, asleep with her head on her arms, on the table, sitting beside him. He was loathe to wake her, but he needed to tell her. Every little detail he could remember might be important, the one thing that might make the difference.

"Sabine," Ezra said quietly, as he gently shook her shoulder.

Sabine sat up with a gasp, one of her blasters magically in her hand and pointed at him.

Ezra tried to grin, but really didn't have the heart for it. "Hey, it's just me. Please don't shoot me."

Sabine sighed. "You know better than to wake me like that when we're on a strange ship, Ezra." She put her blaster away and raised an eyebrow at the half eaten food they'd been too tired to finish. "What is it?" she asked, noticing the tear tracks on his face.

"I had the dream again," Ezra said solemnly. "I need to tell you. We need to be ready. I feel like this might happen soon. What I know for sure now is that the day Hera wears a prisoner uniform and Kanan cuts off all of his hair is the day we need to start being extra careful." Ezra's voice broke and he trembled as he continued in a barely audible whisper. "It's horrible, Sabine. You have no idea how hard it is to see Kanan die over and over. I am not going to let this happen. Whatever the cost."

Sabine reached for Ezra and pulled him into her arms, not caring if Saw or his pilot came in and caught them embracing. Ezra needed her. She rubbed his back soothingly as he cried quietly into her shoulder.

She was almost looking forward to the reality of Ezra's nightmare coming to pass just so she didn't have to watch him break like this anymore.

* * *

_D20/1 BBY, Lothal_

When Kanan came out of the cave with his hair shorn off and his face bare, Ezra had to hide his fear from Kanan.

This was it. This was the day he'd been dreading for years. It was actually coming true.

He exchanged uneasy glances with Sabine. She knew what Kanan's new look meant. It was do or die time. Literally. They were either going to save Kanan from sacrificing himself or die trying.

* * *

As Sabine flew up to the giant fuel pod in their appropriated gunship, she saw the scene Ezra had described: Kanan and Hera embracing, Hera wearing a prisoner uniform. Her heart leapt into her throat. This was it. THE moment they'd been anticipating for years. "Ezra!" she called back to him.

Ezra knew what she meant. Everything was the same. Just like in his dream. Vision. Whatever.

He set his chin and shoulders in determination.

He wasn't losing Kanan. He'd already lost one father; there was no way he was letting his second father die too.

"Hey! Enough of that. Time to go!" he called to them. He watched anxiously as they walked far too slowly towards the gunship. "Come on, come on," he encouraged them.

"What's the hurry?" Hera asked as she put her kalikori on the floor and started to climb in.

Ezra didn't get the chance to answer.

The expected crippling sense of foreboding hit him. Ezra fought past it and grabbed both Kanan and Hera with the Force while yelling at Sabine, "GO! NOW!" As Sabine turned the gunship away, the shot from the Walker hit the fuel pod, and Ezra dragged a very surprised Kanan and Hera into the trooper bay with every bit of concentration he had.

The millisecond they were in, he turned his attention to the flames roaring towards them. Even though he'd only had a little practice with the skill, he raised a Force shield and wrapped it around the gunship. After seeing Kanan use a Force shield on the flames in his dreams for years, he knew it was possible, so he just did it.

When Kanan stood and added his strength to the shield, Ezra knew he'd done the impossible: He'd beaten a vision that had plagued him for what felt like an eternity.

After they cleared the blast radius of the fuel depot, Kanan turned to Ezra. "How did you know that was going to happen?"

Ezra grinned, exuberant that Kanan was still with him. "You know that dream I tried to tell you about all those years ago? The one where you died in a fire?" Kanan nodded, curious. "It wasn't a dream. It was a vision. And I saw it over and over and over again through the years. The Force was doing its best to tell me that I could save you. So I did."

Ezra umphed and almost fell over as a Hera shaped missile launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you! I don't think I could live without Kanan. Survive, yes. But live? No."

Ezra knew exactly how she felt, as he glanced towards Sabine at the front of the transport. The months she'd spent on Krownest was exactly that. Surviving. But not living.

Kanan wrapped his arms around his Padawan and his soulmate, hugging them both and thanking the Force for how much he had been blessed.

He sent a little bit of his joy down the bond to Ezra because he couldn't help himself and felt Ezra send some back, making him smile. He had his Hera back from the clutches of Thrawn and Price, and he had the best Padawan ever; one who was willing to die for him to save his life.

Kanan had been having feelings of foreboding for months, finally coalescing into semi concrete visions of his family coping without him while feeling waves of grief. He had accepted the fact that he was probably going to die today. All that mattered to him was that Hera, Ezra, and Sabine survived. His life meant nothing without them; his soulmate and his kids.

And Hera, she was carrying their child. Not something they were planning on, but he had rejoiced anyway the first day he'd felt the new life force after waking up to a dream of an adorable young boy with emerald green hair and Kanan's skin tone.

He'd been trying to tell her before she left for Yavin 4 with the Defender's flight recorder, but they'd been interrupted, and she'd had to leave. He tried to tell her again not even half an hour ago, but he was once again interrupted by the Noghri assassin.

Now that he had a moment, he focused his senses on Hera and the tiny life within her.

Oh. No.

Perhaps there was a reason he'd never had the chance to tell her, since this would devastate her if she knew.

The flicker of a life signature within hers was dying and then was no more. Feeling helpless at the loss, Kanan wanted to rage at the Empire for torturing his woman to the point of killing his child, but instead he closed his eyes and drew the Force and Hera closer to him for comfort.

He told himself the time wasn't right to raise a child anyway, with the war with the Empire getting more intense every day, even as his blind eyes stung from the nonexistent tears he couldn't shed due to the scarring.

Kanan drew comfort from the knowledge that they could have more children someday.

When the time was right.

* * *

_D26/1 BBY, Lothal_

_"If you truly wish to save Lothal, Commander Bridger, the only term I'll accept is your immediate and unconditional surrender."_

_"I shall demonstrate my power. Open fire."_

_"Enough! I surrender!"_

_"Come alone. If you attempt any... heroics, I will resume the bombardment and destroy your city, and then your friends."_

_"Looks like you lose, Thrawn."_

_"Whatever happens next, happens to both of us."_

_"That's the idea."_

_"The purrgil! Is this you?"_

_"They're about to jump into hyperspace!"_

_"Ezra, get out of there right now; that's an order!"_

_"I can't do that."_

_"And remember, the Force will be with you. Always."_

"Oh, hells no," Kanan said as he opened his eyes from his morning meditation, feeling anything but relaxed.

Even knowing he wasn't getting the full picture, just snatches of Thrawn's, Ezra's, Sabine's, and Hera's voices and their accompanying images, he knew there was no way he was letting his Padawan go out in a blaze of glory like that.

If Ezra was allowed to save Kanan from sacrificing himself, then Kanan was allowed to save Ezra.

Kanan strode back to camp in time to hear Ezra say, "I had a vision. The Emperor's sending Thrawn back to Lothal. It's now or never."

"Then it's never," Ryder started to say.

But Kanan cut him off before he could get into the rant Kanan could sense building inside the older man. "No. Ezra's right. His plan is solid. It will work. I can sense that Hera's on her way back, so that part's taken care of. And you don't need an army to get into the Dome, you just need Price."

Ryder huffed and glared. "All right. I'll make the call, but kriff, Jarrus, you two better be right about this."

"We are," Ezra and Kanan said together, sharing a quick smile after at the unplanned unison.

* * *

Ezra's plan worked like a dream.

Price was captured with the help of a few more friends and some lothwolves and Kanan had his Hera back after she'd been gone for two days on a recruitment run.

Unfortunately, there wasn't time for more than a quick kiss and a very brief explanation of what he was about to attempt as everyone prepared for their roles in the upcoming liberation of Lothal. But Kanan was pretty happy to get that.

When everyone was loaded in the appropriated gunships, Kanan lingered behind, getting confused looks.

"Aren't you coming?" Ezra asked.

Kanan shook his head, still missing the sway of his ponytail as he did so. (Hera was right; he definitely needed to let it grow back. But she did like his clean-shaven jaw, so that was something.) "You're not the only one who had a vision this morning. There's something else I need to do."

Ezra studied him for a moment before nodding once. "Alright. Be careful. I'll see you later then?"

Kanan smiled. "You will," resolution firmly set in his tone. Kanan nodded at Hera through the transparisteel window, sharing a look for a second, before she nodded and took off. Her transport was quickly followed by the second ship that was being piloted by Ketsu.

Kanan turned around and found Mart, Vizago, and Wolffe giving him identical 'what the kriff' looks.

Kanan just smirked and then walked away, out into the grassland, heading north.

Within a minute, a lothwolf was walking beside him, one of the darker signatured ones.

Kanan stopped walking and faced the wolf.

 _"I'm guessing you know what I'm going to ask of you,"_ Kanan thought to the wolf.

 _"Yes,"_ came back a very clear reply in his mind.

_"Thank you."_

The wolf nodded once, regally, and then knelt down so Kanan could climb on its back. It rose to its feet in a fluid motion and started walking again.

Within moments, Kanan could see the portal building within the Force in the ground in front of them. Kanan marvelled once again at the power that these wolves wielded so effortlessly. They were perhaps more the children of the Force than the Jedi could ever claim to be.

A flash and a dizzying ride later, the wolf was standing in the World Between Worlds and Kanan was dismounting and pretending he wasn't just slightly nauseous.

This was now Kanan's fourth trip into the portal land, even if he was the only one who actually remembered where the wolves had taken them so many times. (The others all had hazy memories that involved voices but no details.)

The first was when the wolves had used the portals to transport them from one side of the planet to the other just after Hera flew away with the TIE Defender data.

The second was when the wolves used the portals again to transport them to the Jedi Temple so they could save it from the Empire.

The third was when he, Ezra, and Sabine had figured out how the mural in the Temple worked and it opened yet another portal to the World Between Worlds. And... Ezra saved Ahsoka, making Ezra's day, even though she ended up going back to Malachor. At least she didn't die at the hands of Vader.

One of Hera's side trips over the last couple of days had been to Malachor, to see if Ahsoka was still there, but she couldn't find her. Kanan could only assume his friend had found her own way off the dreadful planet and that he'd see her again soon enough.

Now, Kanan had a new mission.

He started walking up the pathway of light, trusting in the Force to help him.

That's when he heard the voice he'd been waiting for coming from a portal that activated just as he walked past it.

" _Ezra?_ _Ezra, get out of there right now; that's an order!"_

Kanan froze at the sound of Hera's voice and whirled back to the portal.

_"Hera, I have to see this through to the end."_

Kanan honestly couldn't be prouder of his Padawan right now, he was showing such maturity and an incredible willingness to sacrifice himself for the planet and his family. But he still wasn't letting him do it.

 _"Ezra, please, get out of there!"_ Sabine's voice was heartbreaking in that moment, yet another reason Kanan couldn't let Ezra do this.

He stepped halfway through the portal, ignoring the immediate dizziness that besieged him and held out his hand to the fiercely glowing signature of his Padawan.

"I can't do that," Ezra said, tone full of determination as he built a Force shield around the bridge of the Chimaera with his willpower alone.

Kanan was impressed. "Yes, you can."

Ezra's head turned, and his signature flashed with shock as he took in what had to be the sight of only half a Kanan. "Kanan!"

Thrawn, wrapped in the tentacles of the purrgil, seemed equally as shocked. "I hate Force Users," he muttered, struggling to get free even as the purrgil and the Star Destroyer jumped into hyperspace.

Kanan smirked at Thrawn, giving him a quick one fingered salute, and then smiled at his Padawan and waved his hand in a 'hurry up' motion. "Come on, kid. You've got better things to do than got lost in space with Thrawn, trust me."

Ezra glanced at their enemy. "What about him?"

"Just turn on the emergency shielding. He'll be fine."

Ezra laughed. "Why didn't I think of that?" He looked around the bridge that had dozens of consoles in it with wide eyes and then stared at Thrawn expectantly.

Thrawn nodded his chin at the control panel by the bridge door, barely suppressing the urge to roll his eyes; emergency shield controls were standard by all the doorways in every Imperial ship. How did Bridger not know that?

"Right," Ezra muttered, still concentrating on his shield as he backed up over the bodies he'd made. He glanced behind him and pressed the button with the right marking on it, causing a blue shield to shimmer over all the broken windows, flowing around the purrgil tentacles seamlessly.

He then give Thrawn his own one fingered salute as he mentally reminded the purrgil to take Thrawn as far away as possible before letting him go. "Good luck, Thrawn," he called as he grabbed Kanan's waiting hand and was pulled into the World Between Worlds.

* * *

They woke up to a massive black nose sniffing at them.

Ezra stroked the muzzle fondly, smiling, before he rose to his feet and helped Kanan to his. Having stood in the portal for so long, Kanan was still woozy looking and kind of pale.

The wolf knelt down and they climbed on.

Ezra gave the wolf a pat. "Take us home, buddy," he said out loud. And in his mind, he added, ' _To our girls._ '

Ezra couldn't wait to see Sabine's face when he returned from his apparent trip to who knows where. He could almost guarentee she was going to punch him for scaring her. And then, when they got a minute alone, she was going to kiss him senseless.

He was very much looking forward to it.

* * *

_D15/24 ABY, Spectre House, Lothal_

Ezra, Kanan, Ahsoka, and all the kids were meditating in the training courtyard. Tranquility swirled around the space as everyone connected to the Force and released their emotions into it.

Ezra let his mind wander through the Force, seeing all the little lines that connected him to those around him. Three of the lines were thicker than the rest; his bonds with Sabine, Kanan, and Gabriel. The bonds to his children were close, and then the rest of his extended family and friends thinned out from there.

He drifted away from his family, letting the Force take him where it will.

Suddenly it showed him something new: A Star Destroyer was shooting at a freighter. A very familiar freighter painted in the unique orange and blue lines of Eidolon 8.

Ezra gasped, startling everyone around him out of their tranquil state.

"What did you see?" Kanan asked, concern in his tone.

Ezra turned to Kanan, brows furrowed in worry. "Mira and Caleb are in danger. And we're too far away to do anything about it."


	2. Engaged

**Engaged:**

_D364/1 BBY, Yavin 4_

With happy grins and entwined fingers Sabine and Ezra escaped into the dense forest of purple barked massassi trees surrounding the rebel base. The further into the forest they walked, the more of the glowing orchids became visible. The sun was quickly blocked by the thick foliage, but the bioluminescent flowers provided their own source of light.

Everyone else thought they had gone to train, their usual excuse for snatching some alone time. (To keep up appearances, they did spar more often than not. Just not for very long.) Instead, they were heading towards their favourite ruin. They had discovered it the first time they had gone wandering in the forest. It was just stable enough to climb to the top without threat of injury, and just high enough that if they sat at the top, they could enjoy the sun filtering through the leaves, without being visible from above or below.

Once they reached the ruined square pyramid, Ezra gestured for Sabine to climb first. This was to his benefit in a couple of ways: If she were to stumble, he could catch her with the Force. Second, he got to admire the view all the way up. Sabine knew what he was doing, of course, but she just grinned to herself and thought 'typical male.'

Once they'd reached the top, Ezra used the Force to clean off the dead leaves and other debris that had accumulated in their favourite cuddling spot. Sitting down with his legs spread, he helped Sabine sit in the space provided. Sabine leaned back against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her middle while placing his chin on her soft chocolate and purple hair. Sabine hugged his arms and gave a happy sigh, enjoying the feel of his muscular chest behind her.

They both closed their eyes and got lost in the sensations of sunlight, whispering leaves, the occasional call of a creature in the forest, and each other's comforting presence.

Eventually, Sabine spoke. "Ezra?"

Ezra rumbled out a, "Hmmm?"

"I think I'm ready to stop hiding."

Ezra jolted more upright, his arms tightening in surprise. "WHAT?" He'd been waiting for her to say those words for years.

Sabine half turned in his arms, so she could see his face. She'd been thinking about this for a while now. Her family had met Ezra and Kanan, and hadn't killed them. Kanan and Hera had finally revealed they were a couple for everyone to see. (Not that everyone didn't know about them anyway, but they were official now.) She thought it was time that she and Ezra got to live together without having to lie about it all the time. Sabine reached up and traced the faint scars on his cheek. She still thought they made him look more manly and handsome. "With everything that's happened, I think it's time. Don't you?"

Ezra's beautiful sapphire blue eyes shone down at her, while his face cracked into the biggest smile she'd ever seen. "Cyar'ika, I've been waiting forever for you to say that." Ezra swooped down and kissed the living daylights out of her, while still managing to keep a grin on his face.

Sabine wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers delving into the short hairs on the back of his head, kissing him back like her life depended on it. Eventually coming up for air, they smiled sappily into each other's eyes.

Sabine watched as Ezra's eyes widened fractionally. Then she gave a little gasp as he picked her up by the waist and set her on her feet. Rising to one knee, he reached into the pocket of his trousers and said, "Sabine Wren, I've waited more than a year to give this to you. Will you marry me?" He held a platinum chain necklace with an orange diamond, cut in the shape of a phoenix, on the center of the chain, pooled in the palm of his hand.

Sabine stared in shock at the necklace, then at Ezra's imploring eyes, then back at the necklace. Tears came to her eyes, which she just couldn't stop. "Ezra," she whispered. "It's beautiful."

"It reminded me of you. Your eyes are the same color. And, well, the phoenix is your thing. And I know you don't like rings, but I thought this, you could keep under your bodysuit and it wouldn't annoy you too much. So, um, yah. Will you please put me out of my misery here, and say you'll marry me?"

Sabine finally came out of her shock. She gave a little squee of happiness, and then dove on him, knocking him onto his back on the stones. Planting kisses all over his beloved face, she said, "Yes, yes, yes, yes."

Ezra clasped the necklace on behind her neck and admired the way the phoenix and Sabine's amber eyes seemed to feed off each other, both getting brighter and seeming more full of fire. 'I did good,' he thought to himself with a grin. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her close, shifting around to a more comfortable position on the rocks. (He was always happy to have her light weight on him, but the rocks digging into his back weren't fun.) "I love you, Sabine."

"Love you too, babe," Sabine answered back, before kissing him lovingly again. Sabine pulled back and rested her head on his chest, smiling to herself, and let her eyes close for a while, just enjoying the moment. The best moments of her life where the ones she spent in Ezra's arms.

Ezra couldn't have been happier if he tried. He had his very own beautiful warrior woman in his arms, they were finally going to reveal their relationship to their family, she'd agreed to marry him, and both of their worlds were liberated from the Empire's grip.

Life was perfect.

Sabine thought so too, and decided a demonstration of how happy she felt was in order. Her fingers started wandering up and down his chest in teasing caresses and she nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck before purring in his ear, "I'm thinking something really naughty right now, Ez'ika. Are you?"

Ezra's breath caught as her hand wandered lower and cupped his quickly hardening manhood through his trousers. "Uhhhhhh."

"I'll take that as a yes," Sabine said before she swung her leg over him, straddling his stomach and pressing her lips to his in a passionate open mouthed kiss, her tongue darting into his mouth and teasing his.

Ezra groaned in his chest and put his hands to work, stripping off her armour plating and undoing the top part of her bodysuit in record time. His hands slid up the silky skin of her bare back before stopping at the elastic hem of her sports bra and pulling it up and over her head, temporarily displacing the grip their mouths had on each other.

Sabine plastered her lips to his again, marvelling yet again at how well they fit together and got busy undoing his shirt and then pushing it off his ever broadening shoulders, leaving the sleeves stuck around his elbows. While his hands skimmed up and down her back, hers settled on his chest and teased little circles around his nipples, making him stiffen and gasp, and the little nubs harden in response.

Sabine sat up, sliding back a bit so her core settled over his achingly hard cock and teased them both. Her eyes were heavy lidded and they glittered at him through her long lashes. With her upper body bare, occasional patches of sunlight caught on her pale skin and made it shine. Her perfect round breasts drew his eyes and made his mouth water to taste them.

She gazed down at her fiancé, loving the wide blown pupils in his blue blue eyes, showing just how much he wanted her. His short hair was sticking up in spikes from her fingers, and his lips looked wonderfully full and well kissed. The muscles in his shoulders, chest, and abdomen stood out under their copper coating of skin, framed by his orange shirt. "You're so sexy, Ezra."

"You're the one who's sexy," Ezra said as he raised his hands and cupped the breasts that fit perfectly in his palms. "A more beautiful woman has never been created."

Sabine flushed in pleasure and rocked against him a little harder as a reward.

Ezra curled his stomach up, raising himself so he could bury his face between her breasts for a moment, just breathing in the citrusy scent of her skin. Then he turned his head to the left and lavished attention on the pert little nipple and the skin around it. Her other breast was fondled lovingly by his hand so it didn't feel left out.

Sabine clenched her hands on the back of Ezra's head and closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the sensations of pleasure jolting from her breasts, down to her core, and back up again. She was practically grinding herself against him now, reaching for a peak that wasn't that far off.

Sensing that she was getting close, Ezra wanted to be in her when she came. He pulled back, ripped his shirt off his arms and laid it on the stones, then he turned them over, laying her on his shirt. The bottom half of her bodysuit was pulled down to her ankles and his trousers were opened, freeing himself.

Sabine opened her legs and arms and he settled himself into the spot that felt made just for him, resting on his elbows so their chests could brush against each other. He kissed her breathless as he lined himself up with her hot and wet opening and surged inside, sending his long, thick length to the very depths of her channel.

Sabine gasped into his mouth and tightened her thighs around his hips, the most she could do with her ankles trapped together by her clothes. "So good, Ez. So. Shabla. Good," she moaned between kisses. She pulled back a fraction and met his eyes as he thrust into her slow and deep and hard. "I swear you're made for me. No one could possibly fill me or fulfill me the way you do."

Ezra smirked proudly while he concentrated on keeping his rhythm steady. "I knew we were meant to be together the day I met you, cyar'ika. The Force made us for each other."

Sabine giggled and then gasped as he changed his angle slightly to hit her most sensitive spot inside. "You're such a romantic dork, Ezra."

"But you love me anyway," Ezra stated into her neck, wrapping his arms around her back and pressing into her harder.

"Oh Force!" Sabine cried and gulped, her limbs starting to tremble and tighten as her core clenched in anticipation. "Yes, I do. Now go faster!"

Ezra did as ordered most happily, pounding into her clasping tunnel, almost completely lost to the ecstasy now. He put everything he had into it, sweat pouring from him, and was rewarded a minute later by Sabine's muffled scream as she bit his shoulder and dug her nails into his back, and her channel clamped around him perfectly.

That sent him over the edge, the climax building in his balls roaring up and out, directly to Sabine's depths, flooding them in even more heat and moisture. Ezra muffled his own loud groan that sounded like, "Love you," against the soft spot where her neck met her shoulder, but kept enough sanity not to bite her in return. He didn't mind if she wanted to mark him as hers, but he couldn't bear the thought of marring her satin skin beyond the scars she already had from battle. Even the odd bruise he left on her from gripping her too tight in a passionate moment made him sorrowful, so Ezra had always tried his best to keep a leash on his Force enhanced strength.

Sabine held him in her arms, wrapping him to her as tightly as she could and just savoured the bliss coursing through her. This was her favourite moment of lovemaking; holding him as he lay helpless from his climax, their heaving breaths and heartbeats moving in sync, and feeling so incredibly well loved, both physically and emotionally.

If you had asked her five years ago if she would ever consider laying herself bear in such a vulnerable way, Sabine would have laughed and denied it. But Ezra had won her heart with his sheer determination and devotion. Now they owned each other; hearts, bodies, and souls. It was a beautiful thing.

* * *

They had just finished climbing off the ruin about half an hour later when Sabine said, "I have just three requests."

"Anything cyar'ika," Ezra said back. He held out his hand, and she happily laced her fingers with his as they walked back towards the base.

"First of all, we have to go tell my parents. We can't do anything else until we do. I want everyone to be there when we get married anyway. So we'll have to work it in between the war somehow."

"I'm fine with that. I'm ready for whatever you're family can dish out."

Sabine laughed. "I'm not so sure, but we'll tell them anyway."

Ezra chuckled back. "What's the next thing?"

"Let me pick the time to tell Hera and Kanan, although, I promise it'll be soon."

"That's fine with me. You're better at this kind of thing anyway." Ezra raised their hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers. "So what's the last request?"

Sabine pulled him to a stop. "I know we cut your hair short to make you look older, but you don't need that anymore. Will you please grow it back?"

Ezra burst out laughing. He had been expecting something totally different and hard to do, but this? Anything for his cyar'ika.

Sabine punched him in the arm for laughing at her request. Glaring at him, she crossed her arms over her chest.

Ezra sobered up quick. He knew that look. Ezra gently extracted her hands from under her arms, holding them to his heart. "I'm sorry, Sabine. That is not what I was expecting you to say. Of course I can grow my hair back. Whatever you want, I'm fine with. All I've ever wanted is to please you."

Melting at his sincere expression, Sabine let her face transform back into a smile. "Ezra, you will always be a hopeless romantic, but you're my hopeless romantic, so I guess I won't kill you," she teased him. "When we get to Krownest, you might want to be more like the strong, silent type. Mandalorians eat hopeless romantics for breakfast."

Ezra chuckled. "I think I can handle myself."

"They may have accepted you as my friend but it's a good possibility they will try to kill you for courting me. Please be prepared." Sabine was deadly seriously when she said that, and she tried to convey it with her expression. "Anyway, we need to get back. We've been gone too long." As she turned back towards the base, she let Ezra keep one of her hands.

* * *

Kanan and Hera were sitting on top of the Ghost, watching all the industrious rebels scurry around the base. There were people moving supplies around, other people working on the fighters, making sure everything was as ready as it could be. There were rumours that something bad was coming, but only those at the top of the chain of command knew what.

Hera was one of the ones at the top. And she didn't like their odds. No one knew exactly where the Death Star was, or when or if they would actually run a mission to try and destroy it, but it was a looming shadow on everyone's minds that knew about it. Hera was supposed to be one of those industrious people, getting things done, but she had felt like she was going to break. She needed a time out, and the best way to sooth her mind was in the presence of her mate. So she had dragged an unresisting Kanan up here.

"What is it, Hera? You're positively seething with too many emotions to name." Kanan wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in closer to his side, the weight of her lekku resting over his arm.

"Kanan, what if I told you we might die soon?" Hera looked at him with her emerald eyes full of serious worry.

Although he couldn't actually see them anymore, he remembered exactly what they looked like when she felt like this in the Force. There was nothing about Hera that he would ever let himself forget. "Then we will die together, and I will die happy knowing that I lived the best life I could by your side." Kanan hugged her closer and rubbed his hand up and down her arm soothingly. "Are we going to die soon, Hera? What haven't you told me?"

Hera pressed a hand to his cheek, studying his cloudy, faded teal eyes. "I'll get in trouble if they find out I told you this. And you have to promise not to tell the kids, or Zeb, or Chopper. Not anyone. Okay?"

Kanan put his own hand over hers, holding her slender fingers against his cheek. "I can keep your secret, darling. Now what is it?"

Hera tucked her head down into his strong shoulder, her free arm tightening around his back. "You know that battle we had over Scarif?" she mumbled into his shirt. She didn't want to say the next part.

"How could I forget?" Kanan said dryly, pressing a kiss to her temple and lacing their fingers together, rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand soothingly. "It's the biggest space battle we've been in so far and it was just yesterday." Kanan tried to make light of it and brighten her mood, but even he knew that wasn't going to happen. He could feel something bad coming but he wasn't sure what.

Hera kept the side of her head pressed against his shoulder, but now watched their fingers play together. "We were trying to steal the plans for an Imperial Battle Station. It's supposed to have enough firepower to wipe out a planet. It definitely wiped out Jedha City a couple of days ago and the Imperial base on Scarif after we had jumped to safety."

Kanan was silent as he processed, now understanding the two strange fluctuations he'd felt in the Force during those time periods.

"We don't know yet if we succeeded," Hera continued. "Last we heard, Leia had received the plans, but the Tantive has been reported as destroyed. We don't know if she is alive, dead, or captured." Hera took a deep breath. "The point is that we may be doomed. That's what I'm saying."

Kanan sighed softly, pulling her fully into his lap and hugging her tighter as he heard her effort at fighting back tears. "I'm sorry, darling. I don't know how to fix this for you."

Hera glanced up at him. "I don't expect you to, Kanan. That's asking more than any one person could ever accomplish on their own. All I need right now is exactly what you're giving me."

They smiled sadly at each other for a moment, before Kanan bent down and kissed the tears off her cheeks and then pressed her head to his shoulder again, the fingers of one hand stroking up and down her back gently.

His mind was whirling a million lightyears an hour as he thought of everything they'd been through for the Rebellion and how they'd almost lost each other at least a dozen times each. Eventually, he couldn't take his own mind anymore and blurted out, "Hera, you know I will follow you wherever you go, but do you really want this? Do you want to just die for the Rebellion? We have so much to live for. Why can't you see that?"

Hera looked up at him in shock. "I can't just up and leave the Rebellion, Kanan. They need me! I'm a general for kriff's sake. You want me to just walk away?" Hera pulled away from Kanan and turned so her back was to him, her lekku stiff with anger. She couldn't look at him right now.

Kanan winced at the churning disappointment in her Force signature. Wow, had he blown it. He should have just kept his thoughts to himself. "Darling, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Kanan put his hands on her stiff shoulders. "Please, Hera, look at me?"

Hera reluctantly turned back around. "So what did you mean, Kanan?"

Kanan gently grasped and held on to her hands like they were a lifeline. "What I meant was; there's so much we haven't done. So much more than just fighting. What about living? What about raising a family? Don't you want that?"

Hera sucked in a breath, then buried her face in his chest as all her dreams and fears came rushing to the surface and overwhelmed her. He wrapped his arms back around her and held her as she shook with sobs. "I do want that, Kanan, I do!" she managed to say between choked out gasps for air. Soon enough, she got control of herself again and her tears dried up. She finally whispered, "I just don't think it's going to happen any time soon."

When Hera looked up at him, he said with a heartbreakingly shaky smile, "It's okay, darling. I can wait. I don't want to raise children under the Empire's rule anyway."

Hera turned her head away. "You can leave if you want," she said quietly. "I know this war isn't where you're heart is. Go find some out of the way planet. Marry a nice girl. Raise a family. I won't stop you."

Kanan put a finger under her chin and made her look back at him. "Hera, you're wrong, this war is where my heart is because YOU are my heart. I could never leave you. Nothing in this galaxy could make me leave you. Not even you." Then he added with a cheeky grin, "You're my favourite colour, anyways."

That got the reaction he was hoping for. With every one of his words, her face had slowly shifted from desolate to shining and at the end she giggled. "Silly man. But true, I'm sure. All you're shirts are green. I never made the connection." Hera glanced around to make sure no one was looking in their direction. She gave him a quick but loving kiss, then settled back into his side with her head on his shoulder. Kanan gave a lek a gentle stroke in return, then put his arm back around her shoulders to hold her to his side.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Hera said, "Kanan, I have an idea." She sat up and looked at him again. "There's nothing happening right now. Nothing could happen for weeks. I'm sure if I asked, I could get a couple days off. You know I consider us to be mates, but why don't we make it more formal? Why don't we get married? And have a little honeymoon, just the two of us. No kids, no pesky droids, no Zeb. And definitely no Rebellion."

Kanan's eyes widened in shock at her words, then his face lit up into the happiest grin he'd given her in a very very long time. "When?"

"Right now," Hera said with her own grin. She moved to stand. "Let's go." Then paused halfway onto her feet. "No wait. We have to tell the kids first. Where are they?"

Kanan shrugged as he rose gracefully to his feet and helped her up the rest of the way, hands resting on her slender waist. "Training, I think. Those two sure are dedicated. Zeb's probably sleeping somewhere, and Chopper's probably with AP-5. Why don't you just call them on their comms?"

Hera giggled. "Why didn't I think of that?" Pressing her wrist comm, she called to her family, "Can everyone meet me in the common room of the Ghost in ten minutes please?" She got a series of affirmatives in return.

Hera pulled Kanan back into the top hatch of the Ghost. As soon as they were on level ground and away from prying eyes, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs around him. "Love you, Kanan," she said before kissing him hard and deep.

Kanan held his practically vibrating twi'lek with a chuckle afterwards. "I love you too, Hera. Always."


	3. Married

**Married:**

_D364/1 BBY, Yavin 4_

Sabine and Ezra picked up their pace into a steady jog after Hera called. "I wonder what she wants?" said Ezra.

"Maybe we have another mission, or a supply run or something." She tucked the beautiful phoenix necklace into her bodysuit, still astonished that Ezra had managed to find something that suited her so well; it's bouncing reminding her that it was there.

"Well, it surely can't be another battle like yesterday's. That was intense." Ezra shook his head at the many lost lives. And he didn't even know why they were fighting that one, since Command was keeping the details under extremely tight wraps. Hera wasn't even talking, and she usually told them whatever she could get away with.

"Yes, it was. But it's probably nothing important. We'll find out in a minute anyway," Sabine said as the Ghost came into view through the trees. They jogged all the way to the ramp of the ship where they met Zeb and Chopper, also making their way onto the ship. "Hey, do you guys know what this is about?"

Chopper beeped a negative and Zeb shook his head. "Hopefully it's better than yesterday's mission."

They all climbed up to the common room, where they found Kanan and Hera holding hands and grinning like little kids. "Sit, everybody. You're gonna love this," Kanan said teasingly. So they sat, except for Chopper of course. He just beeped inquiringly.

"Sooo," Kanan started out, "Hera's finally making an honest man out of me!"

When everyone's signatures just looked confused, he elaborated. "She asked me to marry her. Finally." He gave Hera a teasing smile, which she returned with a wink.

"Finally is right," Sabine said as she rushed out of her seat to hug them in congratulations, Ezra right on her heels. "You two have been setting a terrible example for us younger people," she teased.

"What?" Kanan said with wide innocent eyes. "Us? I don't know what you're talking about. Hera and I have been perfectly discreet."

"Ha!" Ezra snorted in amusement as he let go of Hera so Zeb could take his turn hugging her. "That's a blatant untruth, but we'll let you get away with thinking it."

Kanan huffed a sigh and glanced apologetically at Hera. "Sorry, darling. I guess they did catch us embracing once or twice."

"Once or twice!?" Ezra said in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? I stumbled upon the two of you twice in the first week alone that I was on the Ghost."

"Ditto," Sabine and Zeb said in unison, then gave each other a fist bump for it with matching grins.

"So when are you going to get hitched?" asked Zeb, getting slightly more serious.

"Right now," said Hera. "Then we're going to escape for a couple of days. It's now or never. Things are quiet right now so we should be able to get away. Zeb, we're going to leave you the Phantom II in case you need a ride somewhere. And Ezra, you have your Gauntlet. Chopper, you can stay here at the base with AP-5. This is a honeymoon. No droids needed."

Chopper beeped mournfully, so Hera patted his dome in consolation and he pressed into her leg, looking as glum as a faceless droid can look. Hera and Sabine were the only ones who noticed.

"We're all really happy for you," said Ezra with a grin.

"Yah, and it really is about time," added Sabine.

"Thank you," Hera said with a bit of a shine to her eyes. "You guys are the best family a girl could ask for."

Kanan hugged her into his side again and kissed the top of her head as he smiled gratefully at his little family as well.

Wondering if she should add to the happy moment, Sabine looked at Ezra and raised an eyebrow. He gave a small encouraging nod in return, heart skipping a beat at what was about to happen.

Kanan and Hera looked on in askance, sensing something going on between the two youngest members of the family.

Looking around at Kanan, Hera, and Zeb, Sabine pulled a diamond necklace out of the collar of her bodysuit.

Hera and Zeb froze at the sight of the beautiful fire colored phoenix.

Kanan frowned in confusion, sensing the movement, but not really seeing what Sabine was holding other than it was small and gave off mineral vibes. "What is it?" he whispered to Hera.

"A diamond necklace," she whispered back, making a mental note to tell him more details later.

"We have something to share as well," Sabine said bravely with a tentative smile at her 'parents'.

Hera gave her a small nod of encouragement and Ezra grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together.

With a deep breath, Sabine blurted out, "Ezra and I are engaged too."

Kanan was suddenly sputtering. "But, but, but, you two are just friends. I'd feel it otherwise."

"No, we're not," Ezra said. "She's been my girlfriend for a very long time."

Chopper chimed in with, "I have evidence."

"But how did you hide it?" Kanan was so sure there was nothing more than friendly affection between them.

"Like this." Ezra took a deep breath and let go of his hold on the Force. He'd been keeping his and Sabine's Force signatures in check for so long whenever they were near each other it had become second nature and he did it without thinking about it much anymore.

Kanan sucked in a breath as the Force changed around Ezra and Sabine from just a normal light to a glow as bright as a sun where their two signatures met and converged. "Holy kriff. How have you been hiding that?"

Ezra blushed a bit. "With lots and lots of practise."

Kanan was speechless, his sightless eyes wide as his head looked back and forth between them, trying to believe what he was seeing in the Force.

Hera gave her kids a hug. "I had a suspicion this would happen one day. I didn't realize it already had. I'm very happy for you."

Zeb burst out, "No wonder you went to the refresher so much at night! You were sneaking into Sabine's room weren't you?"

Ezra and Sabine turned beet red. That was answer enough.

Kanan returned to sputtering, his words unintelligible until he eventually managed in a voice that almost squeaked on the last word, "You've been sleeping together?!"

"So have you and Hera!" Ezra shot back in his defence.

"Yes, but we're adults!" Kanan's face was turned rather red as well.

"And so are Sabine and I!"

"No you're..."

"I'm almost nineteen, Kanan! And Sabine is well into her twentieth year, and you know it." Ezra's arms were crossed over his chest now and he was glaring sullenly at his 'dad'.

Kanan crossed his arms back as they stood almost nose to nose, glaring at each other, cloudy teal meeting royal blue. "I'll bet you a hundred credits that you were both underage when you..." his voice trailed off, unable to say it. He huffed and glared some more, ignoring Hera's tugs on his arm.

Zeb and Chopper were simply standing back and watching the show in great amusement.

Sabine was standing beside Ezra, looking like she was about to blow up, but she was incredibly proud of Ezra for standing his ground. "I don't think that's any of your business, Kanan."

Her voice was quiet but deadly and Kanan finally realized he might be overdoing the outraged, overprotective father bit. Who was he getting upset over anyway? Ezra? Or Sabine? He realized he didn't know. "I apologize. That was uncalled for."

Hera tugged on his arm again and Kanan finally unstiffened enough to let her lead him away a few steps. "Really, Kanan? This was supposed to be a happy moment. For all of us. They wouldn't have told us if they didn't think we would support them."

Kanan sighed and hung his head in shame. "It's just... They're so young... And they're our 'kids'. And... Gah."

Hera raised a brow in warning. "Can you honestly tell me that if we hadn't met at the same age as they did, and we had lived different lives that didn't make us both a little broken so it took us forever to learn to love, that you and I wouldn't have jumped in a bed together when we were teenagers?"

Kanan thought about that for all of half a second and blushed. "No. I can't say that. I can guarantee that I would have loved you as a teenager too. You're my soulmate, darling."

Ezra and Sabine listened to all this with wide eyes, glancing at each other and feeling just a little bit embarrassed to witness a conversation that should probably have been held in private. But it wasn't, and it was better than holo t.v. so...

Ezra glanced at Zeb, catching his eye and got a big wink and a grin from the lasat. Ezra chuckled under his breath as Sabine squeezed his fingers that were once again laced with hers. It was so nice not to have hide his affection for her anymore.

Hera smiled sweetly at her mate, her eyes flashing in both approval and warning. "Thank you for saying that in front of everyone, love. Now, go tell our kids you're happy for them, because I know you are, somewhere in that thick skull of yours."

Kanan heaved a big sigh, turned to look at Ezra and Sabine, then grumbled out, "I'm happy for you."

Hera kicked him in the ankle.

"Oww." He mock glared at her as he hopped up and down on one foot. "Alright, alright. I guess it's not the end of the world. I'd be a giant hypocrite if I said you couldn't have love too." Limping to the younger couple, he hugged them both into his sides, his expression transforming into a smile. "I really am happy for you. You just shocked me that's all." Then he ruined it by saying, "At least tell me you've been careful."

"Kanan!" Ezra, Sabine, and Hera all but yelled in unison.

Zeb was practically rolling on the floor laughing by now.

And Chopper was recording, sure this would make excellent blackmail material at some point in the future.

Kanan just stared at the young adults with a raised brow until Sabine finally rolled her eyes at him and said, "Do you see any little Spectres running around the ship?"

Kanan shook his head, starting to grin.

"Then that's your answer," Sabine said in exasperation. "It's a good thing I love you, Kanan, cause otherwise I might actually be really mad about all this."

Kanan's grin widened and he grabbed Sabine and Ezra in another hug. "And I love you two too. Just try not to give me anymore shocks in the next decade or so, kay?"

Ezra snorted and pulled out of the hug. "I'm not promising anything."

"Speaking of shocks," Kanan said. "I still can't believe you mastered shielding your signatures to such an extent. I've never been that good at it."

Ezra grinned. "I guess it's my turn to teach you something, hey Master?"

Kanan groaned.

Ezra nudged him in the side. "Now, aren't you supposed to be getting married or something?"

Kanan's face lit back up. "Right. Come on Hera, let's go find the Senator. Or one of the other Generals. I'm sure one of them can marry us." He grabbed her hand and was dragging a laughing Hera out of the room, when Sabine called for them to wait.

"Hera, can you please ask if Ezra and I can go to Krownest for a couple of days? I need to tell my parents, and this needs to be done in person."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Sabine. Make your plans." Hera was pulled out the door on the last word.

"When was the last time Hera and Kanan had some alone time for more than half a day?" Ezra asked as he gazed at the common room door with a thoughtful expression. When no one said anything, he looked back and saw Sabine and Zeb scrunching their faces up as they wracked their brains and came up blank. Ezra snorted lightly. "That's what I thought."

Sabine stared at Ezra, studying the expression on his face, and then she got it. "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking, Ezra Bridger?"

Ezra nodded as his face brook into an evil grin of mischief.

Sabine's mouth quirked up and her own expression soon copied his. "I am so all over this. Ezra, you're a genius. It'll even be worth it when Hera grounds us for life."

"Totally," Ezra said happily.

"Hey, whatever you guys are planning, I want in on it, " said Zeb.

"Me too," beeped Chopper.

"So here's my plan," Ezra said, blue eyes glinting with glee.

Everyone huddled together and nodded as he spoke.

"This is going to be great," Zeb said as he left to do his part.

* * *

Kanan was just about to drag Hera down the ramp of the Ghost, when he remembered something very important. Screeching to a halt, he held Hera by the shoulders for a moment while he kissed her nose. "Wait here, I just need to get something."

Hera nodded, eyes going wide in disbelief as Kanan actually skipped the ladder, using the Force instead to jump up two levels to where the crew quarters were. He re-emerged thirty seconds later and jumped back down, landing lightly with a huge grin on his face.

Kanan pulled her into his arms and planted a grinning kiss on her lips. Pulling back, he said, "You have made me the happiest man in the galaxy right now. I don't even know if someone can even marry us at this very moment, but you finally asked me, and that's all I care about."

Hera was stunned by his exuberance. She was mentally slapping herself for not thinking of this sooner. She never knew a little piece of paper would mean so much to him. His culture was so different from hers. In her mind, they'd already been married for years; ever since she'd asked him to be her mate and he had accepted. Something had clearly been lost in translation. She'd have to explain her revelation to him later since she didn't want to ruin this moment for him. So she just smiled at him and let him pull her by the hand all the way to the command center of the base.

Hera managed to ignore all the startled looks their passing caused. It's not every day you see a smiling General get dragged by a clearly overjoyed Jedi. The whispered speculations started the instant they were out of sight. By the end of the night, the number of different theories about their strange behaviour had reached astronomical proportions. The funny thing was, not a single person guessed that Kanan was finally getting what he'd always wanted the most; married to his beautiful green twi'lek.

Just before Kanan could drag her into the command room, she pulled him to a halt by planting her feet. Kanan looked back at her in surprise, raising a brow in query. Hera smiled gently at him. "Let me talk to them please, Kanan. And a little dignity doesn't hurt either."

Kanan looked a little sheepish. "Sure, Hera. Sorry." He swept an arm towards the door. "After you, General."

Before opening the door, Hera looked back down the hallway. Multiple people had been openly gawking at them. At her glare, they turned away and tried to look busy. With a grin, Hera kissed Kanan on the cheek, then entered the command room with him trailing behind like a good soldier. Hera motioned for him to stay near the door when she saw Senator Mothma and Generals Dodonna and Willard in quiet conversation on the far side of the room. As she walked up to them she caught Dodonna saying the words, "...evacuate you on a shuttle," to which Mon Mothma was emphatically shaking her head.

"But I belong here, with the Rebellion," Mon Mothma replied.

Dodonna was adamant in his opinion. "If the Death Star does make it here, you simply cannot stay. You are the face of this Rebellion. You must live."

Hera agreed with Dodonna. The Senator was vital to the survival of the Rebellion cause. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I agree with General Dodonna."

Mothma sighed in defeat. "Fine, if, in the absolute worst case scenario, I must evacuate, then I will do so." Then she looked at Hera with the heavy knowledge of impending doom in her eyes. "Is there something we can help you with General Syndulla?"

Hera smiled sympathetically at the older woman. The Senator had the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders. "I know this isn't a great time, but there may not be much of any time left. I would like to ask a personal favour, if it's not too much trouble."

Dropping formality, Mon Mothma said, "Whatever it is, Hera. I'll try to make it happen. You have done so much for this Rebellion. I believe you have been fighting the Empire for more than a decade already, with hardly a day to yourself."

Hera hesitated. She hated to ask for personal favours. But then she looked back at Kanan, who was still practically vibrating with excitement. She gestured him over. Gathering her courage, she said in a rush, "Well, that's just it. Kanan and I were hoping one of you could marry us, then we'd like to go on a two day honeymoon, and Commanders Bridger and Wren are engaged, and they want to go to Krownest to tell her parents." Hera was relieved she'd been able to say all that without stuttering.

Mon Mothma's eyes widened more with every one of Hera's words.

Dodonna and Willard started chuckling, and were in full fledged, side splitting, peals of laughter within a minute of her last word.

Hera, Mothma and Kanan glared at them until they settled down. "This isn't a joke, gentlemen. I'm being perfectly serious," said Hera. "I want to marry Kanan before we die fighting this war. And my crew deserve the chance to be happy as well. Even if it's just for a day. Do you not agree?" They sobered at the sad reality of what she was saying. They both nodded, ashamed of making fun.

"I agree," said Mothma. "Come with me to my office. We'll have you married in five minutes and you can leave right away. Your crew too. Although you need to come back promptly. This war needs you. You and your team are an invaluable asset." Hera blushed slightly at the praise. She looked at Kanan with a happy smile at their success. Mothma addressed the other two Generals. "And you two buffoons can come as well and witness."

Mothma led the small parade out of the command room, her bearing regal and with the hint of a spring in her step. She was smiling brightly on the inside. Hera's crew had become quite dear to her over the last few years. As she left the command room, she was surprised to see a much greater than normal amount of people lingering in the hallway. "What is everyone doing? Go back to work!" As everyone scurried away, Mothma sighed in exasperation.

* * *

Back on the Ghost, Hera's family were rushing to get their tasks done before she and Kanan came back.

Ezra and Zeb had gone to acquire a couple weeks worth of supplies from AP-5.

Sabine and Chopper were reprogramming the nav computer. "Set it to randomly select a different planet or moon every time she tries to jump to Yavin 4 or anything in the Yavin system." Sabine said to Chopper as she sliced in a code that would expire in two weeks, preventing the computer from being reset again until then. Unless Hera was willing to purchase a new nav computer, she wasn't getting back to the Yavin system, and the war, for two whole weeks of war free bliss.

Chopper was chuckling to himself maniacally as he worked.

As soon as their task was done, Sabine sent Chopper to undock the Phantom II while she went to her room to gather up whatever she would need to tide her over for a couple weeks until she saw her room on the Ghost again. Then she left Hera a note on a datapad on her bunk for her to find later. She met Ezra and Zeb on her way out of the ship with an armload of bags, on her way to deposit them in the Gauntlet.

"How'd it go?" asked Ezra, pushing a crate full of supplies. His eyes were positively twinkling with his excitement over their prank.

"Great. I have no idea where they're going to end up, but it's not back here. At least not for two weeks anyway. You two need to grab whatever you need from your room." Sabine gave Ezra a quick kiss before turning to leave.

"Hey," said Zeb. "Where's mine?"

Sabine laughed, then gestured for him to bend down so she could reach his cheek. Normally, she'd punch him instead, but today, she was just so happy, she actually kissed his furry purple cheek, then walked off laughing as he sputtered in surprise.

Ezra punched him in the shoulder to make up for Sabine's good attitude, grinning at his friend. "Welcome to the club, Zeb. You've officially been kissed by the galaxy's most standoffish Mando. As far as I know, you're only the second being to receive such an honour."

Zeb punched him back as they laughed and pushed their crates again. "She's not my type by any stretch of the imagination, but you are one lucky mooka, kid."

Ezra smiled beatifically. "Don't I know it."

* * *

"Hera Syndulla. Do you take this man as your lawfully wedded husband?" Mothma said.

Hera gazed at Kanan with shining eyes. "I do."

"Kanan Jarrus. Do you take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife?"

Kanan barely let Mothma finish her line before he said, "I do."

"Do you have rings?" asked Mon Mothma.

Hera had completely forgotten about rings. She was about to say 'no,' when Kanan pulled a little green velvet bag out of his pocket.

"Yes, we do." Kanan emptied the bag on the palm of his hand. Two matching gold wedding bands gleamed. Each one had the same patterns as Hera's lekku engraved in them.

Hera's eyes filled with tears as she gazed in amazement at the beautiful rings. "Kanan." She could barely speak. "When?"

Kanan shrugged bashfully. "I had them made eight years ago. It was just us and Chopper back then. Then our crew started to grow, and the time never seemed right to ask you anymore."

Even the Generals teared up a little at that sob story.

Kanan and Hera put the rings on each others fingers, both of them trembling just a little and their eyes barely leaving the others'.

Mon Mothma said, "You may now kiss the..." her voice trailed off and turned into a chuckle as the newly married couple practically leapt at each other, kissing almost frantically. Leaving them to it, she prepared the wedding certificate. When it came time to write down the married names, she had to loudly clear her throat a couple of times to get their attention.

Hera pulled away from Kanan, her cheeks positively dark green with embarrassment at her behaviour. "Sorry, Senator Mothma."

Mon Mothma smiled gently at Hera. "No apologies necessary, Hera. I understand. I need to know what your married names are going to be?"

Kanan and Hera looked at each other in question. Kanan knew what she was thinking. "It's fine with me."

Hera turned back to Mon Mothma. "We're going to keep our names as they are. But if we ever have any children, their last name will be Jarrus. It doesn't make sense for me to change my name. Everyone knows me as General Syndulla."

Mothma nodded in agreement, then finished the certificate. After everyone had signed it, she made a holo copy of it, for the records, then handed the original to Hera. "You are now officially married according to the Rebel Alliance. Hopefully we win this war, because I don't know how much good that paper is in the Empire's eyes," she said with a shrug. She then added, "Go. Enjoy your honeymoon. We'll be in contact if we need you to come back sooner."

Hera handed Kanan his precious marriage certificate. He held it reverently for a moment, trembling fingers running over the paper in a gentle caress before meticulously folding it into a small enough square to fit inside the velvet bag.

Hera couldn't stop herself. She gave the Senator a quick hug, which was thankfully returned. "Thank you, Mon." She shook the hands of Dodonna and Willard, thanking them for witnessing. Then she grabbed Kanan's hand.

This time it was her leading him back to the Ghost, as he was still gazing blindly in rapt fascination at the little green bag in his hand. And the speculation from the peanut gallery continued. (Still getting it wrong.)

* * *

Ezra walked onto the Gauntlet, arms full of things. After dropping them onto his bunk, he used his bond with her to find Sabine. Sensing her on the bridge, he quickly made his way there. She was seated in the pilot's chair, elbows on knees, chin resting on a fist. Ezra knelt beside her so he could see her at eye level. He put a comforting hand on her thigh. "What has you looking so glum, cyar'ika?"

Sabine shrugged, dropping her hand. She reached out and stroked her fingers through his short hair. She did so love to pet her tooka like Jedi. "I just feel bad for Hera and Kanan. They're getting married all by themselves with no formal clothes or guests or a party or anything. And I went and barged in on their announcement with our own. I know time is of the essence when you live in a war, but I feel like maybe I should have waited until they came back from their honeymoon."

Ezra cupped her face in his hand, thumb stroking over her cheekbone. "Hey, it's okay. They didn't feel upset, like they were being upstaged or anything like that. Aside from Kanan's hissy fit, they were both genuinely happy." Ezra closed his eyes for a moment and reached for his connection to Kanan. "And speaking of joy, there is a very, very happy Kanan and Hera coming back this way. I don't think they minded the lack of a formal wedding." Ezra stood, and taking both her hands, pulled her to her feet. "Come on, we should go congratulate them."

Sabine let Ezra lead her by the hand, her eyes still a little sad, but she felt better. It was nice having someone who could feel others emotions. It made things a little simpler sometimes. It was also a great relief to not have to hide her feelings for Ezra anymore. The years of masquerading as just friends had been really hard on her more often than not. She wasn't the kind of person who liked to hide what she was. Being able to express her personality through her art had helped a lot, but she still had felt like she wasn't being true to herself.

And then there was her amazing fiancé. Ezra had never complained once about having to sneak around, stealing moments of affection on the rare occasions they could be alone. She looked up at him as they walked. He seemed to be just a little taller and a little broader every day. His face reflected his happiness as he watched Hera and Kanan approach them. He really was growing into an amazing man. She was proud to take him home and present him to her family. She just hoped they could understand.

Kanan finally came out of his euphoric stupor when they had almost reached the ramp of the Ghost. He tucked the little bag back into his pocket. Ezra and Sabine were waiting for them, holding hands. It was still a shock to him that Ezra had been able to hide such a major thing from him for who knew how long. Other than at the beginning, when he had followed Sabine around like a puppy, his interactions with her had always seemed to be one hundred percent platonic. "You two must be incredibly good actors and have better self control than Hera and I. None of us suspected a thing. And that signature shield... I'm seriously impressed."

Ezra grinned at Kanan. "Well, you know what they say. Necessity is the mother of invention. And I needed to be able to see Sabine without you finding out. So I started experimenting. I had to get even better at it once you lost your normal sight and started using the Force to see. " Ezra shrugged, then looked down at Sabine with clear love radiating from him. "She was worth it." Sabine smiled back up at him then stood on her tip toes so could kiss his cheek.

Hera and Kanan both melted at the sight. They really did look good together. They'd make beautiful children one day. That thought lead to another.

"Ezra," Kanan said very seriously. "If the lot of us ever have kids, we are not teaching them the shielding trick until they are least eighteen. I'll want to know what our kids are up to. Having one set of kids pull one over on me is enough for one lifetime."

Everyone laughed at poor Kanan's bewildered expression. Including Zeb and Chopper, who had joined them in time to hear the last part. Then Ezra realized what Kanan had said. "Are you guys planning on having kids soon?"

Both Kanan and Hera shook their heads adamantly. "No, we're going to wait until this whole war is over. This is not the kind of environment I want to raise children in," said Hera. "What about you guys? Have you talked about it?"

Ezra and Sabine looked at each other, startled. Neither of them had thought about having children. They felt like they were just starting to be adults themselves. Sabine raised her brow at Ezra in question. Ezra thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. Sabine smiled at him and nodded, patting him on the cheek. She turned to Hera and Kanan. "We're waiting too. The end of the war sounds good to me."

Everyone was standing there, somewhat stunned at this continued evidence of their bond. That had just been a perfect example of a silent conversation that only people who had lived together for a long time were able to achieve.

Zeb blinked himself out of his shock. He wrapped his long arms around his whole family, hugging them close, and said, "Well, I'm just happy for everyone. My family is finally getting their happily ever after, despite the war."

Chopper beeped his agreement. He pushed his way into the center of the giant hug. When his favorite organic put her hand on his dome, he gave a happy purr, leaning against her legs.

The Ghost crew stayed like that for a while, basking in the rare moment of peace and contentment in a galaxy filled with war and death.


	4. Playtime

**Playtime:**

_D364/1 BBY_

Hera hovered the Ghost above the ground so she could see her family as they waved goodbye. Even Chopper was waving one of his little manipulators. Hera and Kanan waved back as her heart filled with love at her perfectly unconventional family.

With divided feelings, Hera pivoted the Ghost on the spot and took off for the upper atmosphere of Yavin IV. She was overjoyed to be getting away from the war with Kanan for some precious alone time, but she had her usual anxious reservations about leaving the kids behind to fend for themselves. She pushed those to the back of her mind, determined not to let anything spoil this moment. "So, where do you want to go for our honeymoon?" she asked Kanan.

Kanan shrugged. "I honestly never thought that far. Anywhere is fine with me. Where do you want to go?"

Hera gave a little laugh. "I never thought that far either. I don't care where we end up as long as it comes with peace and quiet and I'm with you."

Kanan looked at the shining Hera shaped Force signature that was his wife. She reminded him of a star in the Force, with how brightly she shone. That gave him an idea, but he was afraid she might think it was stupid. "This may be a silly idea, but what if we didn't actually leave the ship? How about we find a quiet corner of space with a view? Like the imploded star cluster near Lira San?"

Hera looked at Kanan with amazement. "Kanan, love, that is an excellent idea. For what I have in mind, we don't need a fancy resort planet anyway." Her eyes twinkled at him as he sucked in a breath and gave her a blind look that spoke volumes. Turning back to the controls, she set the hyperdrive coordinates to take them to the star cluster.

As soon as the flashing stars of lightspeed illuminated the bridge, she jumped up from her chair. Pulling a grinning Kanan out of his, Hera raised her chin up as he lowered his head down to hers. Their lips met in a long, loving kiss. Without taking his mouth off hers, Kanan picked Hera up in his arms. She gave a surprised squeak before wrapping her arms around his neck and smiling against his mouth. As he carried her to their cabin, she ran her fingers through his collar length hair as best as she could, still frustrated by how long it was taking to grow back. She missed the feeling of being able to bury her hands in his hair. It was such a unique sensation to a twi'lek, and she never got tired of it.

Kanan opened the doors with the Force without even really thinking about it. He was entirely focused on the woman in his arms. She was still the most beautiful girl ever, even with his new version of sight. Her heart and kindness shone through even stronger in this version of her. There was just so much to love about her. He gently lowered her to the bunk, then settled himself over her. As he kissed her again, one hand held himself up, the other gently petted her lek causing Hera to shiver in delight.

The honeymoon had definitely begun.

* * *

Two hours later, the ship dropped itself out of hyperspace and chimed its arrival at an interstellar crossroads where they needed to switch to a different hyperspace lane. Hera didn't even notice, too lost in the keening pleasure rippling through her as Kanan thrust into her from behind at a lightning fast pace.

But Kanan did, too in tune with the Force to miss such a massive shift in what was going on around him. He slowed to a stop, fingers loosening their grip on her shoulders and turning more caressing.

Hera turned her head over her shoulder to gaze at him in confusion as her cherished sensations stopped just as she was about to reach the pinnacle of ecstasy. "Keep going," she said in a warning tone, thinking he might just be messing with her and drawing out her pleasure into something that more resembled torture.

Kanan leaned over her back and whispered in her ear cone, "The ship stopped, darling. We need to set new coordinates."

Hera narrowed her eyes at him. "Kriff the ship, keep going NOW!"

Kanan chuckled huskily and did as ordered. He felt mighty proud of himself that he could actually make Hera swear at her precious ship.

He started up slowly again, staying curled over her back and pressing kisses to her cheek and jaw before trailing his mouth along a lek.

Hera growled and wrapped her lekku around the back of his neck, pinning him down to her. "If you don't get a move on, Kanan Jarrus, I swear I'm going to tie you to something and torture you for hours. And I'll make it so you don't get to come either."

Kanan got impossibly thicker and longer within her depths, thrusting a fraction deeper. "Is that a promise?"

Hera turned her head once more, mashing her mouth to his and thrusting her tongue into his mouth the way she wanted his cock to thrust into her aching channel. She pulled back, panting. "You bet your cute tushy it is, love."

Kanan grinned at her, kissed her back slowly and thoroughly, and then whispered, "Good. I'm looking forward to it." He wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled them both upright so he was kneeling with her in his lap, her lekku trailing down his back and writhing slowly against his skin as she gasped at the change of position and his angle and depth inside her.

"Kanaaaaannnnn," she moaned as he set a terribly slow pace that still managed to hit her hard at her very depths with every thrust. She arched against him, wrapping her hands around his neck backwards so she could get some leverage and join in the rhythmic motions.

Not feeling the need to hold her up anymore, Kanan trailed one hand down to her core and played with her clit while the other moved up a smidge and cupped and fondled her soft, round breasts, the nipples poking out from her extremely aroused state.

In only a minute or two, he felt her clenching around him again, her muscles tightening with increasing tension as her moans grew in volume.

Kanan stopped again and moved his hands back to neutral territory on her stomach and ribs.

Hera pulled his hair, hard, growling once again.

He laughed and kissed the space on the top of her head between where he lekku started. "Sorry, darling. I couldn't help myself. You're just so fun to tease. And you have to know I'm looking forward to your retaliation."

Hera huffed in exasperation, letting go of his neck and rising off of him. She spun on her knees and pushed him backwards and then crawled over him and impaled herself on his length while digging her nails into his thighs to hold him still. "It's my turn to be in control now, my frustrating mate. You had your chance."

"As you wish, my darling Hera." She was deliberately forgetting the four orgasms he'd already given her in the past two hours, but Kanan didn't mind. He linked his hands behind his head and simply enjoyed the show in the Force as her signature went wild above him and he added to the image with memories from before he'd lost his sight.

In his mind, her eyes were closed and her plump lips parted slightly as a flush of pleasure darkened her cheeks to a darker green, making her even more beautiful. Her head was thrown back, but her lekku were over her shoulders, caressing her own breasts which bounced delightfully with every movement she made. Her back was arched, highlighting her taunt stomach muscles, and making it easy for him to watch his cock disappear into her pretty nether lips over and over and over again as she rode him. Her efforts were aided by her hands on his thighs behind her and her strong and shapely legs.

This was probably his favourite memory of her and it continued to live on every time she felt the need to take control of their lovemaking, like she was doing right now. Nothing turned Kanan on more than when she did this and she knew it.

Hera was finally back on the precipice of a long awaited orgasm (or so it felt). She was practically slamming herself down on Kanan now and grinding her clit against his pelvic bone with every mashing of their bodies. She opened her eyes a slit and gazed at her now groaning mate, his hands clenched so tightly behind his head that every muscle and vein in his arms popped out in graphic detail. Stars, that was sexy as hell. "Last chance to come with me before your torture session begins, my naughty mate."

Kanan stared back at her with cloudy, heavy lidded eyes. "Not a problem," he ground out through clenched teeth, his orgasm churning and just waiting to explode as soon as he let it.

"Good," Hera gasped as her eyes closed again and she concentrated on those last few bounces that would send her over the edge.

With a strangled scream, her body clenched impossibly tight and then she shuddered like a leaf in a hurricane as the strongest orgasm she'd had in recent memory hit her full force. Kanan's hot seed shooting up inside her as he groaned out her name and filling her to overflowing just drew it out even longer, their combined juices covering them.

As the tension drained from her body, Hera collapsed forward, snuggling into Kanan's chest as his arms wrapped around her and their joined bodies throbbed with pleasurable aftershocks. Hera kissed his chest and closed her eyes, savouring the moment to the fullest.

Or at least as long as her conscious would let her.

Her ship was sitting at the end of a hyperspace lane with no one at the controls. Theoretically, it was safe enough, but you never knew when some other ship's nav computer would decide to malfunction and ignore the sensor readings and possibly crash right into them. (This actually had happened, so she wasn't being ridiculous.)

Hera was already regretting not bringing Chopper. What had she been thinking?

With a muffled grumble, she extracted herself from Kanan, their sweat glued skin reluctant to part every bit as much as their arms were unwilling to let go. Then she rolled off the bed and stalked to the bridge butt naked, grumbling to herself the whole way.

Kanan smiled to himself as he heaved himself off the bed as well, but turned down the hallway in the other direction, aiming for the refresher.

Five minutes later, the ship was once again in hyperspace and Hera was searching for her mate. Her sensitive hearing soon picked up the sound of the shower running. Her lips quirked in a satisfied smile, thinking that location would work just fine. She made a quick backtrack to her room and grabbed a thin silk scarf from her closet and then aimed her feet for the refresher.

Kanan sensed Hera's approach and grinned as he felt the sense of purpose in her signature. Excellent. She was keeping her word on vowing to drive him insane. Kanan looked forward to it with every atom of his being. To have her undivided attention on him as she caressed, kissed, stroked, tongued, nipped, and sucked on every millimetre of his skin was the best form of bliss he could think of. And if he was really lucky, she'd wind her lekku around him too. There wasn't a more illicit guilty pleasure in the galaxy than having her lekku give him a headtail job.

Hera opened the shower door and joined Kanan in the small space, closing the door behind her and keeping the heat and steam in. "Are you ready for this, love?" she said in a throaty voice that brought his already half hard cock to full life in an instant as she pressed her chest against his and rubbed her breasts against him.

Kanan swallowed a groan, grabbed her around the hips, pressing her close, and kissed the very breath right out of her as the warm water cascaded over them. Then he let her go and held out his hands to be tied. "Now I am."

"Good boy," Hera purred as she tied the scarf around his wrists loosely.

Kanan backed up a step and raised his arms, hooking the scarf over the shower head of his own accord, giving the illusion of being tied up. "Do your worst, my darling wife," he said, a grin playing with his lips, ecstatic to finally be able to call her that. (He'd already used the title at least ten times.)

Hera smirked, eyeballing the truly delicious sight he made like that; muscles in stark relief, handsome face freshly shaven and dripping beads of water onto his chest from his defined jawline, and his lovely big cock twitching in anticipation. She trailed one hand up his chest and the other down his abs as she plastered herself to his side. "I fully intend to, my dear husband," she breathed in his ear, feeling him shiver in delight.

Kanan smiled as her mouth began the 'torture'.

* * *

After the Ghost had disappeared from sight, the remaining Spectres looked at each other with a 'what now?' look. Ezra cleared his throat. "Umm, well, I guess this is where Sabine and I disappear too. It's time to break the news to her parents. Wish me luck."

Zeb laughed at him, and then slapped him on the back. "Good luck, kid. Try not to get dead."

Ezra rolled his eyes at the familiar line that brought up old memories of when they first met. "Thanks Zeb." Addressing both Zeb and Chopper he said, "You guys stay out of trouble while we're gone."

Now it was Zeb's turn to roll his eyes. "Ha."

Chopper laughed maniacally.

Ezra kicked him. "I mean it Chopper. Behave."

"Don't worry, I'll watch the rust bucket," Zeb said with a warning glare at said rust bucket.

Chopper laughed at Zeb, zapped him, and rolled off beeping, "In your dreams, meatbag."

Zeb swore at Chopper and took off after him, threatening death to the droid.

Ezra and Sabine looked at each other and laughed. "Some things will never change," Sabine said with a rueful shake of her head. "Shall we go? We only have two days leave. I'm sure we'll need every minute of it."

Ezra smiled reassuringly at her as they walked into the Gauntlet. "Relax. Everything will be fine," he said as he closed the ramp behind them.

"I hope you're right," Sabine said, but not believing it. "Just remember to look as strong and confident as possible. Mandalorians have no respect for the weak."

"Come on. Don't I look strong? I'm sure I'm bigger than the last time I saw your parents. And confidence is never an issue." Ezra gave her a cocky smirk and a wink.

Sabine punched him in the arm. "You can be such a conceited ass sometimes." Then she looked him up and down, liking what she saw. "Although... I do have to admit, you are growing an impressive set of muscles now that you're finally done growing taller. At least, I hope you're done growing taller. I already have to stand on my toes to kiss you."

Ezra grinned in amusement. "Hey, it's not my fault you're a shrimp," he said teasingly, knowing he was taking his life in his hands to do so. Then he took off running around the ship, looking forward to however she was going to make him pay for that comment, his laughter trailing behind him.

Sabine growled in semi mock anger, and then giggled to herself as she chased him. "You're going to regret saying that, Ezra Bridger!" She came to an intersection and slid to a stop, head swivelling back and forth as she tried to guess which way he'd gone. To the bridge? The cabins? Into one of the wing sections?

"I bet you can't find me," Ezra's voice echoed playfully down the long hallway that led to the left wing.

Sabine huffed and rolled her eyes as she bolted down the hallway. Of course he would choose a wing. They were a maze of access shafts and narrow tunnels with not a single decent hallway to be found; a perfect hiding place for a lothrat.

She stopped at the open access hatch, a new thought forming. What if this was a trick and she ended up crawling all over the wing for nothing? She stuck her head in, peering up the ladder built into the small tunnel. "You better be in here, Ezra," she said in a warning tone.

Laughter echoed up the tunnel from below her, bringing a smile back to her face. She scrambled into the tunnel and monkeyed down the rungs towards the big engine compartment at the bottom of the currently upright wing. She jumped down the last few rungs and eyeballed the organized chaos of the left engine and all the other miscellaneous parts housed down here that made the ship fly. There were plenty of places to hide. She started wandering around on silent feet, squeezing past various components, trying not to make a sound.

Ezra watched her creep under him from his hiding spot braced near the ceiling between two computer towers, barely holding in the urge to snicker. As soon as she was out of sight, he dropped down to the floor soundlessly and backtracked back to the ladder and scrambled up it in a blur of speed.

Sabine looked around the entire engine compartment twice before she realized she'd been had. Groaning to herself, she climbed back up the ladder and closed the access hatch with a haughty twirl of the latch. If he was still in there, it served him right. She wasn't going to win this game, not on his terms. The sneaky Jedi rat was way too good at hiding. Rather than spending more time playing by his rules, she would play by hers.

Sabine strode for the bridge and plunked herself down into the pilot's chair and started flicking switches to warm up the ship. Pushing a button, she talked into the ship's comm, her voice echoing with extra sweetness through the entire ship. "You have until I jump the ship to hyperspace to get your fine shebs into the bridge with me, Ez'ika, or I swear you're sleeping on your own for the next month."

Ezra's eyes widened in horror and he scrambled out of his new hiding spot in the closet of one of the cabins filled with bunks and literally streaked through the ship as he felt it leave the ground and punch it for space at its top atmospheric speed of 1000/km's per hour. Sabine wasn't messing around. He could only be grateful he wasn't still in a wing right now or he'd be plastered to whatever wall was closest from the pressure. He was also grateful she wasn't pulling a desperate Hera move and jumping straight to hyperspace from the atmosphere. He had a feeling the only thing stopping her was the flack she'd get when people inevitably told Hera and High Command about the dangerous and unnecessary manoeuver.

Ezra opened the bridge door with the Force as he ran towards it and launched himself through the doorway in a headfirst dive just as Sabine was reaching for the lever to jump them to hyperspace. He twisted in the air and landed on his back beside her chair. "I'm here! I'm here!" he panted from the floor, looking up at her.

Sabine glanced down at him, smiled slightly, calmly pulled the lever, and then scooched out of the chair and directly down onto his stomach, sending the air right out of his lungs. "Why?" he whined in a high pitched squeak as he reinflated his lungs.

Sabine grinned and readjusted so she was straddling him and sitting on his thighs. "That was for calling me a shrimp." Then she held up her hands and pulled her gloves off very deliberately one finger at a time as his gorgeous blue eyes widened in comical dismay. She wiggled her now bare fingers at him tauntingly. "And this is for trying to play hide and seek with me."

"No.. ooo... oooo... oooooo," Ezra laughed and wheezed as she attacked his ribs with her deadly fingers and tickled him near to death for endless minutes. "I'm... I'm... Gah... Sor... Sorry," he finally got out.

Sabine stopped and sat up, smirking at him, hands kneading his pecs like a lothcat. "Are you? I don't think you are."

Ezra nodded quickly. "Yes I am. I promise I'll never call you a shrimp again. And we'll only play hide and seek if you want to."

Sabine's smile changed to something else entirely as her eyes half closed and she crawled up a little higher on him and settled her core over his crotch, her hands sliding up to his shoulders and then planting on the floor on either side of his head as she seductively writhed on top of him. "I can think of a much better version of hide and seek to play," she whispered, her mouth only a millimetre from his.

Mini Ezra sprang to life in heartbeat. "Oh Force," he whispered back, staring into her fiery eyes as she ground down on him. He pulled off his own gloves and then reached up and threaded his fingers through her silky hair. "So can I." He tugged her down that last millimetre and dove his tongue into her mouth without any preliminaries and they duelled passionately in the depths of her sweet tasting mouth.

Sabine's hands moved to his head, holding him tightly as she felt the soft, short strands of his hair against her skin. After a minute, she pulled back, eyes glinting teasingly. "Is that your lightsabre or is someone happy to see me?"

Ezra rolled his hips up against her, hands sliding down her back and cupping her luscious butt. "Oh, that's definitely my lightsabre," he said with a smirk.

Sabine raised a brow, rose up higher on her knees, reached down, unclipped a metal cylinder from his belt, stared at it with mock suspicion for a moment, placed it on the chair beside her, then settled back down to her previous location and rubbed back and forth a moment on the rock hard length hidden in his pants. "Oh, yes. This is definitely your lightsabre, Ezra."

"I told you," Ezra said proudly.

"Hmmm," Sabine said, looking pleased. She leaned down again and kissed him slow and very thorough, exploring the depths of his mouth in detail before pulling back and sitting up once again.

Ezra watched in disappointment as she gracefully stood, his hands sliding down her legs as she did so, now looking quite tall as she stared at him with her feet on either side of him. "You're so cute," she purred. Sabine stepped off of him and sauntered towards the door, her hips swaying in an exaggerated fashion as she started pulling armour pieces off and dropping them on the decking as she walked.

Ezra rose to his elbows and gazed at her dumbly, heart pounding in his chest.

Sabine paused in the doorway, bending over and undoing a knee pad, giving him a wonderful view of her rearend in her tight leggings. She rose and half turned back towards him, twirling the pad around her finger by its strap and raised a brow at him. "Are you coming or not? I thought we were playing hide and seek?"

Ezra nodded frantically as he scrambled off the floor, his jacket being unzipped and tossed to the decking by the time he reached the doorway as well as he followed her sultry form with his tongue practically hanging out like a slavering mooka.

By the time they reached their semi luxurious cabin that had the biggest bed by far, they were both stark naked and there was a trail of clothes running down the hallway. Ezra scooped Sabine up and tossed her on the bed. She landed giggling in the center of the soft bed as Ezra immediately followed his own throw, leaping on top of her in a perfectly placed jump. He kissed her neck beside the chain that held his gift as her hands came to a rest on his back then he smiled at her joyfully, eyeballing her perfect athletic form up and down before settling on the apex of her thighs for a pointed moment. "I think I'll start with the seeking part of the game," he said huskily, salivating in anticipation of her taste.

Sabine moved her legs invitingly. "That's the best idea you've had yet, Ezra Bridger."


End file.
